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Williamson, West Virginia
Williamson is a city in and the county seat of Mingo County, West Virginia. The population of the city is 3,191. Demographics As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the city is: 81.10% White (2,588) 15.23% Black or African American (486) 3.67% Other (117) 38.7% (1,234) of Williamson residents live below the poverty line. Theft rate statistics Williamson has below average to average rates of Pokemon theft and murder. The city reported 5 Pokemon thefts in 2018, and averages 1.49 murders a year. Pokemon See the Mingo County page for more info. Fun facts * Williamson is the site of a large rail yard built by the former Norfolk and Western Railroad (now Norfolk Southern Railway), which was built to service the many coal mines of the region. * The city is protected by a floodwall, completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1991 in response to devastating floods along the Tug Fork River in 1977 and again in 1984. The wall incorporates floodgates along major access points which, when locked, form a solid barrier against floodwaters. There have only been two uses of the gates thus far: the first occurring in 2002 during a major flood in the region, and the second occurring in 2003, when only two lower lying gates were closed in anticipation of rising water levels. * The local economy is largely fueled by coal mining, transportation, health care and retail. With the decline of the coal industry in recent times however, the city has declined in population every year since 1950, and for the time being, the fortunes don't look to be reversing. * The Coal House, whose walls are constructed from 65 tons of bituminous coal from the nearby Winifrede Seam, serves as the headquarters of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce. It was built in 1933 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. In October 2010, the interior of the Coal House was destroyed in a fire. The Coal House interior has since been restored while preserving the historical integrity of the building. * The Hatfield–McCoy Trails, a popular network of ATV trails, run through the mountains surrounding the city, with numerous trailheads in and around the Williamson area. * Each year, in June, as many as 500 distance runners from around the United States and several foreign countries descend upon Williamson for the Hatfield–McCoy Marathon. Beginning in South Williamson, Kentucky, the race ends in the midst of the annual Hatfield–McCoy Reunion Festival in downtown Williamson. * Retail wise, most of what Williamson has to offer is across the Tug Fork River in South Williamson, Kentucky, and there's little Williamson has to offer amenity-wise these days. It has dollar stores, a Nintendo World, Appalachian Regional Airport, a contest hall and showcase theater, a bit of public battle fields, a sports complex, a few motels, a few RV parks, a few auto parts places and car dealerships, a Verizon retailer, a little bit of local restaurants and businesses, Starters Restaurant, Sazon Mexican, Miss Wanda's, and that's about it. Category:West Virginia Cities